1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Reflection
We are many but God is One. When you think of the variety of people and the variety of specialties and unique talents each person has; then imagine combining all of these specialties and talents towards following the One, you have the Church. The Church that exhibits a key Holy Spirit filling the people of flesh, as God became flesh in Jesus all together in flesh and spirit moving towards the mission of the Father. This Church is the body of Christ with all of the parts coming together into one body.
When we live our lives and come to Christ, we are baptized in the cleansing and graceful water of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are baptized and then we celebrate our unique gifts and calling yet our oneness in the Communion of the body and blood, the bread and wine of Jesus body given for us as we live and learn and grow in faith, hope and love for God and for all people.
This is what makes disciples and believers of Jesus set apart. We are pulled together through the life, death and resurrection of God in flesh to save us from sin, death and the devil. This is what makes us different. It's not about our own efforts and our own practices of prayer, scripture reading, or any other ritual that saves us and brings us to eternal life with God; rather it's about the act of God in Jesus giving of his life for a sacrifice for our sinfulness in order that we may life eternally.
Disciples of Christ can listen to the prophets and most certainly hear the Word spoken and read the Word written in the Bible and see the Word acted out in love by so many people but these all point us towards the One God, they don't save us, they direct us, but they don't save us. Jesus makes the difference. And when the time came, God sent the Holy Spirit to fill our lives.
So what? We live our lives looking, listening. following, acting out the love of God shown to us all because God draws us in together and we are part of it all as we follow Jesus and live into the gracious gift Jesus gave us through his action on this earth for us and in our place. Yes we celebrate how God has made us unique and chose us and gifted us with gifts that work towards that ultimate unity in God. Isn't that enough?
Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI_Oz_PpejU
Prayer
Send your Holy Spirit to me this day that I may use the gifts you have given me to glorify you... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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